Samurai Girl (iPhone) Game Review: Best of Breed 2D RPG?

It seems very odd sometimes that South Korean 2D RPGs on the iPhone seem to follow a certain, how shall i put it, formula when it comes to feature sets. Don’t get me wrong though, this formula represents a best of breed worthy to be used on multiple different games; there’s the virtual d-pad, map-able abilities that can be tied to virtual soft buttons, simplified stats and menus suited for mobile RPGs, and levels or dungeons broken up into small, bite size experiences.

I first saw this feature set implemented in games like the ones from GAMEVIL and now I see them in CJ Internet’s Samurai Girl. But while the similarities are striking, Samurai Girl has several surprises up her sleeves, enough to warrant a good look at the game by a reviewer such as myself rather than dismiss it outright as an imitation aiming at flattery.

The key differentiators is the nature of combat in Samurai Girl; it’s challenging, fast, hectic and often times players will be put up against creatures several levels higher than their player characters are. Having said that, players are bound to get their licks in early on and it continues throughout the game.

Players will have to gain experience and upgrade their stats in order to survive. But to really get off in combat, special moves are the name of the game here in Samurai Girl, and they can be really awesome to behold as they get upgraded. Players unlock additional moves by completing quests and collecting skill books.

And then there’s the pet system. Players can train and raise pet to become a companion and guardian to the player. It’s pretty cool taking a concept normally associated to games such as Diablo 2 or even MMORPGs such as Wow and put it into a 2D-iPhone based game. I’ve haven’t gone that far yet with the pet, but according to the comments, it becomes a mount later on.

Like many 2D RPGs of its kind, Samurai Girl boasts beautiful 2D graphics and effects when executing the special moves. The plot is so-so whereas the missions are pretty much bog-standard (kill this, kill that, fetch this, fetch that, try no to die in the process). Funny as it sounds but fans of the genre should actually feel right at home here. Nine Over Ten 9/10 awards Samurai Girl with a 3 1/2 out of 5.